Steam generating systems can be used in a wide variety of applications, e.g. for injecting moisture in the ventilation network of a building in order to increase the humidity levels in its rooms.
Heavy-duty steam generating systems generally comprise a heat exchanger unit comprising a tank containing water and having a steam outlet, the heat exchanger also comprising a heating device running through the tank, e.g. an electric heating element or thermally conductive tubes through which a stream of heating fluid circulates. The heating device can be activated to heat and eventually vaporize the water contained in the tank. The steam generated by such vaporization is then evacuated through the steam outlet of the tank, which is in turn linked to the ventilation network of the building.
A problem with common steam generating systems is the fact that the steam they produce is wet, in that in addition to gaseous water, this so-called wet steam comprises a substantial amount of minute liquid water droplets held in suspension in the gaseous water. This wet steam, when injected within the ventilation network of the building, causes undesirable water precipitation therein.
Moreover, existing steam generating systems are not very energetically efficient. This poor efficiency of existing steam generating systems is inter alia due to the fact that heating fluids are generally drained prematurely, while they still carry potential heating energy.